The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, with its 150 recipes culled from a lifetime of family meals and culinary instruction, is much more than a cookbook. It is a daughter's tribute -- a collection of personal memories of the philosophy and superstitions behind culinary traditions that have been passed down through her Cantonese family, in which each ingredient has its own singular importance, the preparation of a meal is part of the joy of life, and the proper creation of a dish can have a favorable influence on health and good fortune. Each chapter begins with its own engaging story, offering insight into the Chinese beliefs that surround life-enhancing and spiritually calming meals. In addition, personal family photographs illustrate these stories and capture the spirit of China before the Revolution, when Young's family lived in Canton, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

The first part, "Mastering the Fundamentals," provides instruction on the arts of steaming and stir-frying; the preparation of rice, panfried, and braised dishes; the proper selection of produce; and the fine arts of chopping and slicing. Part Two, "The Art of Celebration," concentrates on the more elaborate, complex, and meaningful dishes -- such as Shark's Fin Soup and West Lake Duck -- that are usually made with rare ingredients, and sweets such as Water Chestnut Cake and Sesame Balls. The final part, "Achieving Yin-Yang Harmony," explores the many Chinese beliefs about the healing properties of ginseng, gingko nuts, soybeans, dong quai, and the many vegetable and fruit soup preparations that balance and nourish the body. The stories and recipes combine to demonstrate the range of Cantonese cooking, from rich flavors and honored combinations to an overall appreciation of health, well-being, and prosperity.

In addition to the recipes, Young provides a complete glossary of dried herbs, spices, and fresh produce, accompanied by identifying photos and tips on where to purchase them. Unique traditional dishes, such as Savory Rice Tamales and Shrimp Dumplings, are also illustrated step by step, making the book easy to use. The central full-color photo section captures details of New Year's dishes and the Chinese home decorated in celebration, reminding one that these time-honored traditions live on, and the meals and their creation are connections to the past.

hinese Curry Shrimp for Two

When preparing this simple but tasty dish I try to vary the vegetables each time, depending on what is at hand. Sometimes I add carrots; other times I add strips of green, red and orange bell peppers (shown in the photo) for extra color. Serve Curry Shrimp with plain hot cooked rice or steamed scented rice for a complete meal for two.

Shrimp With Spicy Chinese Greens

Shrimp With Spicy Chinese GreensThe Chinese greens are bok choy, the most popular vegetable in Chinese cooking. Like other dark green leafy vegetables, bok choy has numerous nutritional benefits: in addition to being a good source of calcium and iron it is high in Vitamins A and C. Better still, it is low in carbs, fat and calories. Serve Shrimp With Spicy Chinese Greens over cooked rice for a complete meal.

Hoisin sauce adds its own special flavor to this easy recipe for Cashew Chicken, rated by readers at five out of five stars. Feel free to load up on the cashews if desired!

All commercially grown artichokes in the United States come from California, particularly the central coast where cool summers and mild winters provide an ideal growing area. The globe artichoke, a member of the composite family of flowers, is closely related to the thistle.

The parts of the asparagus that we eat are the sprouts. Once the asparagus sprouts begin to branch out, the stems become very woody, and actually will grow into a plant that looks like a little tree with small flowers and red berries.

The most commonly eaten fresh beans are the green beans, which are also called snap beans or string beans. The outer green covering is an edible bean pod. We enjoy them raw in salads or with dips, or cooked plain or in other dishes

Broccoli is the nutritional leader of the cruciferous family of vegetables, which have been shown to help protect against colorectal, stomach and respiratory cancers.

There are several brands and combinations of frozen broccoli stir-fry mix sold in the markets. This particular one contains (in order of quantity): broccoli, carrots, onions, red peppers, celery, water chestnuts, and mushrooms

We enjoy green cabbage either raw or cooked. It is a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.

Ma Po Tofu

Eggplant in Sichuan Style

Green Vegetable with Mushroom

Sautéed Potato, Green Pepper and Eggplant

Home-style Tofu

Pine Nuts with Sweet Corn

Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes

Fried Egg with Cucumber

Stewed Winter Melon

Braised Baby Cabbage in Broth

Broccoli with Garlic

Celery and Dry Bean Curd

Fried Egg with Black Fungus

Hand-torn Cabbage

Stir-fried Bean Sprouts with Dried Tofu

Dried Shrimps and Winter Melon

Pan-Seared Green Chili Pepper

Potato with Vinegar Flavor

Stir-fried Bitter Melon

Vegetable dishes are cooked by cooking oil, vegetables, beans, wheat gluten, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and seaweed. They are characterized by freshness, variety, colorfulness and healthiness. They were originally used for sacrifices and grand ceremonies. Later, they have become an important part of Chinese food and food culture since the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589) along with the introduction of the Buddhism.

Vegetable dishes in China are divided into three groups: temple, palace and folk vegetable dishes (home-style vegetable dishes). Buddhists eat vegetable dishes are to propagate refrains from killing and protect lives, and cultivate merciful Buddha-nature. Palace vegetable dishes are exquisite with a great variety. In ancient times, emperors had to sit alone after bathing, abstain from wine and eat vegetable dishes to make their hearts pure and sincere, when met significant events or before making sacrifices to their ancestors. Chinese folks eat vegetable dishes for they practice simple and mild lives.